Snorkelling at Phi Phi and Maya Bay from Phuket: Ferry Cruise or Speedboat?
5 min read
For a snorkelling day at Phi Phi that you can judge from other guests’ reports, book the Snorkeling Ferry Cruise to Phi Phi Islands at €41.19. It has 41 reviews at 3.7 stars and takes 10 hours. The Full-Day Snorkeling Tour with Lunch is a speedboat day of 8 hours at €58.47, and it has no reviews yet. Neither listing promises that you will land on Maya Bay.
Side by side
| Tour | Boat | Duration | From | Stars / reviews | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From Phuket: Snorkeling Ferry Cruise to Phi Phi Islands | Royal ferry | 10 hours | €41.19 | 3.7 / 41 | The lowest price and a record you can read |
| Phuket: Phi Phi Islands Full-Day Snorkeling Tour with Lunch | Speedboat | 8 hours | €58.47 | none yet | Two hours less at sea, plus Khai Island |
The ferry cruise: cheap, long and middling
The listing describes a royal ferry cruise to Ko Phi Phi Le and Ko Phi Phi Don that passes Maya Bay, Loh Samah Bay and Viking Cave, with time on the beaches and in the water. Note the verb: it says you pass Maya Bay, which is not the same as stepping onto its sand. A 3.7 average from 41 reviews is a modest score, so open the reviews and see what the unhappy ones complain about before you pay. Ten hours is a long day to find out.
Check dates and prices for the snorkelling ferry cruise to Phi Phi
The speedboat day: shorter, dearer, unproven
The speedboat listing covers snorkelling, swimming and island views, a seaview lunch at Phi Phi Don and a stop at Khai Island with water activities and a free paddle board. The summary does not say whether Maya Bay is a stop. With no reviews, nobody has yet reported group size, how crowded the snorkelling spots were or whether the lunch is any good. You pay €16.98 more than the ferry for two fewer hours and the Khai stop.
See availability for the full-day Phi Phi snorkelling tour with lunch
What neither listing tells you
Both summaries mention snorkelling, but neither lists the mask and fins. Ask whether equipment is included before you pay, not at the pier. The same goes for the national park fee, which the summaries do not mention. Our Phi Phi route guide explains how that charge normally works.
If snorkelling is the point
Another route is the eight-hour Maya, Phi Phi and Bamboo Island trip with buffet lunch, from €37.87 with 4.6 stars from 21,966 reviews. Its listing names a snorkelling stop at Bamboo Island and lists Maya Bay and Viking Cave. That is €3.26 less than the ferry cruise with a vastly bigger record, so if you only need snorkelling plus the famous islands, this is the safer buy.
View prices for the Maya, Phi Phi and Bamboo Island trip
Our recommendation
Book the snorkelling ferry cruise if you want the cheaper of these two Phi Phi snorkelling days, with a record to read, and accept ten hours and a 3.7 average. Choose the speedboat tour with lunch only if the shorter day and the Khai Island stop matter more to you than evidence. Most people with no strong preference are better served by the 4.6-star day above.
